March for Our Health, May 12

April 28, 2018

March to demand our right to health: health care for all, education, housing, a living wage, clean air, clean water, healthy food, and the right to live a life free of discrimination, exploitation, oppression, and violence.

WHEN

WHERE

We need improved Medicare for all now.

The U.S. is one of the only countries in the “developed” world that does not guarantee universal health coverage. We pay more for health care and have worse outcomes because the system isn’t built to take care of people, it is built so that private health insurance and private pharmaceutical companies can make more and more money.

Private healthcare in this country is bad enough, but Trump and the GOP are on a mission to make it far worse through cuts to the ACA, Medicare, and Medicaid. We need these programs, and much more.

Medical illness is the number one cause of personal bankruptcy in the U.S. There are 4 paid lobbyists for every single congressperson in Washington DC and health industry lobbying spending continues to rise as the expectation and discussion of healthcare and medicare for all grows. Both Republicans and Democrats at the state and federal level take millions from those who profit off of the sickness and suffering of US residents. The private health insurance companies don’t want to pay for the health care we need because it would impact their profits. It’s time to get private profits out of Our Healthcare.

In California, the Democratic Party has a supermajority, which means that they can pass any law they want. They control the Senate, the House, and the Governorship, but they have shelved SB 562, the bill that would guarantee healthcare as a right for all California residents. We need independent corporate-free representatives who will unapologetically support single payer healthcare.

A Healthy life means fully funding public education.

Education improves public health and health equity. Unfortunately, there are vast disparities in funding for public education because of the mechanisms of funding and the greater inequality in the US as a whole. Public schools are poorly resourced by property taxes, which accounts for the vast disparity in public education resources in a high income area compared to a low income area. Additionally, public education is currently under attack by private corporate interests. We need to fully fund public education by putting teachers and students first. Fair pay for teachers and small class sizes are good for teachers, students, and parents.

Our Mission

The Sunflower Alliance is committed to environmental justice and the health and safety of all Bay Area communities threatened by toxic pollution and climate change. We are helping to build an equitable and sustainable economy fueled by renewable energy.